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Have Justice and Mercy

During the fourth year that Darius was king, a message from the Lord came to me. It was the fourth day of the ninth month. That’s the month of Kislev. The people of Bethel wanted to ask the Lord for his blessing. So they sent Sharezer and Regem-Melek and their men. They went to the prophets and priests at the Lord’s temple. They asked them, “Should we mourn and go without eating in the fifth month? That’s what we’ve done for many years.”

Then the message came to me from the Lord who rules over all. He said, “Ask the priests and all the people in the land a question for me. Say to them, ‘You mourned and fasted in the fifth and seventh months. You did it for the past 70 years. But did you really do it for me? And when you were eating and drinking, weren’t you just enjoying good food for yourselves? Didn’t I tell you the same thing through the earlier prophets? That was when Jerusalem and the towns around it were at rest and enjoyed success. People lived in the Negev Desert and the western hills at that time.’ ”

Another message from the Lord came to me. Here is what the Lord who rules over all said to his people. “Treat everyone with justice. Show mercy and tender concern to one another. 10 Do not take advantage of widows. Do not mistreat children whose fathers have died. Do not be mean to outsiders or poor people. Do not make evil plans against one another.”

11 But they refused to pay attention to the Lord. They were stubborn. They turned their backs and covered their ears. 12 They made their hearts as hard as the hardest stone. They wouldn’t listen to the law. They wouldn’t pay attention to the Lord’s messages. So the Lord who rules over all was very angry. After all, his Spirit had spoken to his people through the earlier prophets.

13 “When I called, they did not listen,” says the Lord. “So when they called, I would not listen. 14 I used a windstorm to scatter them among all the nations. They were strangers there. The land they left behind became dry and empty. No one could even travel through it. This is how they turned the pleasant land into a dry and empty desert.”

The Lord Promises to Bless Jerusalem

A message came to me from the Lord who rules over all.

He said, “I am very jealous for my people in Zion. In fact, I am burning with jealousy for them.”

He continued, “I will return to Zion. I will live among my people in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City. And my mountain will be called the Holy Mountain.”

He continued, “Once again old men and women will sit in the streets of Jerusalem. All of them will be using canes because they are old. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls. They will be playing there.”

He continued, “All of that might seem hard to believe to the people living then. But it will not be too hard for me.”

He continued, “I will save my people. I will gather them from the countries of the east and the west. I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem. They will be my people. I will be their faithful God. I will keep my promises to them.”

The Lord who rules over all says to his people, “Now listen to these words, ‘Let your hands be strong so that you can rebuild the temple.’ This also was said by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. They spoke to you when the work on my temple began again. 10 Before the work was started again, there was no pay for the people. And there was no money to rent animals. People could not go about their business safely because of their enemies. I had turned all of them against one another. 11 But now I will not punish you who are living at this time. I will not treat you as I treated your people before you,” announces the Lord who rules over all.

12 “Your seeds will grow well. Your vines will bear fruit. The ground will produce crops for you. And the heavens will drop their dew on your land. I will give all these things to those who are still left alive here. 13 Judah and Israel, in the past you have been a curse among the nations. But now I will save you. You will be a blessing to others. Do not be afraid. Let your hands be strong so that you can do my work.”

14 The Lord who rules over all says, “Your people of long ago made me angry. So I decided to bring trouble on them. I did not show them any pity. 15 But now I plan to do good things to Jerusalem and Judah again. So do not be afraid. 16 Here is what you must do. Speak the truth to one another. Make true and wise decisions in your courts. 17 Do not make evil plans against one another. When you promise to tell the truth, do not lie. Many people love to do that. But I hate all these things,” announces the Lord.

18 Another message came to me from the Lord who rules over all.

He said, 19 “You have established special times to go without eating. They are your fasts in the fourth, fifth, seventh and tenth months. They will become days of joy. They will be happy times for Judah. It will happen if you take delight in telling the truth and bringing about peace.”

20 He continued, “Many nations will still come to you. And those who live in many cities will also come. 21 The people who live in one city will go to another city. They will say, ‘Let’s go right away to ask the Lord for his blessing. Let’s look to him as our God. We ourselves are going.’ 22 Large numbers of people and nations will come to Jerusalem. They will look to me. They will ask me to bless them.”

23 He continued, “At that time many people of all nations and languages will take hold of one Jew. They will grab hold of the hem of his robe. And they will say, ‘We want to go to Jerusalem with you. We’ve heard that God is with you.’ ”

The Lord Destroys Israel’s Enemies

This is a prophecy.

It is the Lord’s message
    against the land of Hadrak.
    He will judge Damascus.
That’s because all the tribes of Israel look to him.
    So do all other people.
The Lord will judge Hamath too.
    It’s next to Damascus.
He will also punish Tyre and Sidon
    even though they are very clever.
Tyre’s people have built a fort for themselves.
    They’ve piled up silver like dust.
    They have as much gold as the dirt in the streets.
But the Lord will take away everything they have.
    He’ll destroy their power on the Mediterranean Sea.
    And Tyre will be completely burned up.
Ashkelon will see it and become afraid.
    Gaza will groan with pain.
    So will Ekron. Its hope will vanish.
Gaza will no longer have a king.
    Ashkelon will be deserted.
A people who come from several nations will take over Ashdod.
    The Lord says, “I will put an end to the pride of the Philistines.
They will no longer drink the blood of their animal sacrifices.
    I will remove the ‘unclean’ food from between their teeth.
The Philistines who are left will belong to our God.
    They will become a family group in Judah.
And Ekron will be like the Jebusites.
    So the Philistines will become part of Israel.
But I will camp at my temple.
    I will guard it against enemy armies.
No one will ever crush my people again.
    I will make sure it does not happen.

A King Comes to Zion

“City of Zion, be full of joy!
    People of Jerusalem, shout!
See, your king comes to you.
    He always does what is right.
    He has won the victory.
He is humble and riding on a donkey.
    He is sitting on a donkey’s colt.
10 I will take the chariots away from Ephraim.
    I will remove the war horses from Jerusalem.
    I will break the bows that are used in battle.
Your king will announce peace to the nations.
    He will rule from ocean to ocean.
His kingdom will reach from the Euphrates River
    to the ends of the earth.
11 I will set your prisoners free
    from where their enemies are keeping them.
I will do it because of the blood
    that put into effect my covenant with you.
12 Return to your place of safety,
    you prisoners who still have hope.
Even now I announce that I will give you back
    much more than you had before.
13 I will bend Judah as I bend my bow.
    I will make Ephraim’s people my arrows.
Zion, I will stir up your sons.
    Greece, they will attack your sons.
    My people, I will use you as my sword.”

The Lord Will Appear

14 Then the Lord will appear over his people.
    His arrows will flash like lightning.
The Lord and King will blow the trumpet of his thunder.
    He’ll march out like a storm in the south.
15 The Lord who rules over all
    will be like a shield to his people.
They will destroy their enemies.
    They’ll use slings to throw stones at them.
They’ll drink the blood of their enemies
    as if it were wine.
They’ll be full like the bowl that is used
    for sprinkling the corners of the altar.
16 The Lord their God will save his people on that day.
    He will be like a shepherd who saves his flock.
They will gleam in his land
    like jewels in a crown.
17 How very beautiful they will be!
    Grain and fresh wine
    will make the young men and young women strong.

The Lord Will Take Care of Judah

10 People of Judah, ask the Lord
    to send rain in the spring.
    He is the one who sends the thunderstorms.
He sends down showers of rain on all people.
    He gives everyone the plants in the fields.
Other gods tell lies.
    Those who practice magic
    see visions that aren’t true.
They tell dreams that fool people.
    They give comfort that doesn’t do any good.
So the people wander around like sheep.
    They are crushed because they don’t have a shepherd.

The Lord who rules over all says,

“I am very angry with the shepherds.
    I will punish the leaders.
The Lord will take care of his flock.
    They are the people of Judah.
    He will make them like a proud horse in battle.
The most important building stone
    will come from the tribe of Judah.
    The tent stake will also come from it.
And the bow that is used in battle will come from it.
    In fact, every ruler will come from it.
Together they will be like warriors in battle.
    They will stomp their enemies
    into the mud of the streets.
The Lord will be with them.
    So they will fight against the horsemen
    and put them to shame.

“I will make the family of Judah strong.
    I will save the tribes of Joseph.
I will bring them back
    because I have tender love for them.
It will be as if
    I had not sent them away.
I am the Lord their God.
    I will help them.
The people of Ephraim will become like warriors.
    Their hearts will be glad
    as if they were drinking wine.
Their children will see it
    and be filled with joy.
    I will make their hearts glad.
I will signal for my people to come,
    and I will gather them in.
I will set them free.
    There will be as many of them as before.
I have scattered them among the nations.
    But in lands far away they will remember me.
They and their children will be kept alive.
    And they will return.
10 I will bring them back from Egypt.
    I will gather them from Assyria.
I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon.
    There will not be enough room for them.
11 They will pass through a sea of trouble.
    The stormy sea will calm down.
    All the deep places in the Nile River will dry up.
Assyria’s pride will be brought down.
    Egypt’s right to rule will disappear.
12 I will make my people strong.
    They will live in safety because of me,”
    announces the Lord.

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